Bestow (If you cast this card for its bestow cost, it's an Aura spell with enchant creature. It becomes a creature again if it's not attached to a creature.)
Flying, first strike
Enchanted creature gets +4/+4 and has flying and first strike.

Enchant Mountain you control
When Chained to the Rocks enters the battlefield, exile target creature an opponent controls until Chained to the Rocks leaves the battlefield. (That creature returns under its owner's control.)

[+1]: Put three 1/1 white Soldier creature tokens onto the battlefield.
[-3]: Destroy all creatures with power 4 or greater.
[-7]: You get an emblem with "Creatures you control get +2/+2 and have flying."

Enchant creature
When enchanted creature dies, return that card to the battlefield under its owner's control. Return Gift of Immortality to the battlefield attached to that creature at the beginning of the next end step.

Indestructible
As long as your devotion to white is less than five, Heliod isn't a creature. (Each in the mana costs of permanents you control counts toward your devotion to white.)
Other creatures you control have vigilance.: Put a 2/1 white Cleric enchantment creature token onto the battlefield.

Bestow (If you cast this card for its bestow cost, it's an Aura spell with enchant creature. It becomes a creature again if it's not attached to a creature.)
Whenever Heliod's Emissary or enchanted creature attacks, tap target creature an opponent controls.
Enchanted creature gets +3/+3.

Vigilance: Monstrosity 3 (If this creature isn't monstrous, put three +1/+1 counters on it and it becomes monstrous.)
As long as Hundred-Handed One is monstrous, it has reach and can block an additional ninety-nine creatures each combat.

Bestow (If you cast this card for its bestow cost, it's an Aura spell with enchant creature. It becomes a creature again if it's not attached to a creature.)
Vigilance
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has vigilance.

Enchant creature
Whenever enchanted creature attacks, put a +1/+1 counter on it. Then if it has three or more +1/+1 counters on it, sacrifice Ordeal of Heliod.
When you sacrifice Ordeal of Heliod, you gain 10 life.

Protection from red
Elemental creatures you control get +1/+1.
When Master of Waves enters the battlefield, put a number of 1/0 blue Elemental creature tokens onto the battlefield equal to your devotion to blue. (Each in the mana costs of permanents you control counts toward your devotion to blue.)

Bestow (If you cast this card for its bestow cost, it's an Aura spell with enchant creature. It becomes a creature again if it's not attached to a creature.)
Flying
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has flying.

Enchant creature
Whenever enchanted creature attacks, put a +1/+1 counter on it. Then if it has three or more +1/+1 counters on it, sacrifice Ordeal of Thassa.
When you sacrifice Ordeal of Thassa, draw 2 cards.

Flying
Discard a card: Prognostic Sphinx gains hexproof until end of turn. Tap it.
Whenever Prognostic Sphinx attacks, scry 3. (Look at the top three cards of your library, then put any number of them on the bottom of your library and the rest on top in any order.)

Sealock Monster can't attack unless defending player controls an Island.: Monstrosity 3 (If this creature isn't monstrous, put three +1/+1 counters on it and it becomes monstrous.)
When Sealock Monster becomes monstrous, target land becomes an Island in addition to its other types.

: Monstrosity 4 (If this creature isn't monstrous, put four +1/+1 counters on it and it becomes monstrous.)
When Shipbreaker Kraken becomes monstrous, tap up to four target creatures. Those creatures don't untap during their controllers' untap steps for as long as you control Shipbreaker Kraken.

Indestructible
As long as your devotion to blue is less than five, Thassa isn't a creature. (Each in the mana costs of permanents you control adds to your devotion to blue.)
At the beginning of your upkeep, scry 1. : Target creature you control can't be blocked this turn.

Bestow (If you cast this card for its bestow cost, it's an Aura spell with enchant creature. It becomes a creature again if it's not attached to a creature.)
Whenever Thassa's Emissary or enchanted creature deals combat damage to a player, draw a card.
Enchanted creature gets +3/+3.

Up to two target creatures each get +0/+3 until end of turn. Untap those creatures. At this turn's next end of combat, tap each creature that was blocked by one of those creatures this turn and it doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step.

Flying
When Abhorrent Overlord enters the battlefield, put a number of 1/1 black Harpy creature tokens with flying onto the battlefield equal to your devotion to black. (Each in the mana costs of permanents you control counts toward your devotion to black.)
At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice a creature.

Bestow (If you cast this card for its bestow cost, it's an Aura spell with enchant creature. It becomes a creature again if it's not attached to a creature.)
Intimidate
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has intimidate.

Indestructible
As long as your devotion to black is less than five, Erebos isn't a creature. (Each in the mana costs of permanents you control counts toward your devotion to black.)
Your opponents can't gain life., Pay 2 life: Draw a card.

When Gray Merchant of Asphodel enters the battlefield, each opponent loses X life, where X is your devotion to black. You gain life equal to the life lost this way. (Each in the mana costs of permanents you control counts toward your devotion to black.)

Enchant creature
Whenever enchanted creature attacks, put a +1/+1 counter on it. Then if it has three or more +1/+1 counters on it, sacrifice Ordeal of Erebos.
When you sacrifice Ordeal of Erebos, target player discards two cards.

As an additional cost to cast Rescue from the Underworld, sacrifice a creature.
Choose target creature card in your graveyard. Return that card and the sacrificed card to the battlefield under your control at the beginning of your next upkeep. Exile Rescue from the Underworld.

Creatures you control have lifelink., : Return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step. If it would leave the battlefield, exile it instead of putting it anywhere else. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.

Magma Jet deals 2 damage to target creature or player.
Scry 2. (To scry 2, look at the top two cards of your library, then put any number of them on the bottom of your library and the rest on top in any order.)

Enchant creature
Whenever enchanted creature attacks, put a +1/+1 counter on it. Then if it has three or more +1/+1 counters on it, sacrifice Ordeal of Purphoros.
When you sacrifice Ordeal of Purphoros, it deals 3 damage to target creature or player.

Indestructible
As long as your devotion to red is less than five, Purphoros isn't a creature.
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, Purphoros deals 2 damage to each opponent.: Each creature you control gets +1/+0 until end of turn.

Bestow (If you cast this card for its bestow cost, it's an Aura spell with enchant creature. It becomes a creature again if it's not attached to a creature.)
First strike
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has first strike

Flying, haste, protection from white: Monstrosity 3. (If this creature isn't monstrous, put three +1/+1 counters on it and it becomes monstrous.)
When Stormbreath Dragon becomes monstrous, it deals damage to each opponent equal to the number of cards in that player's hand.

Attacking creatures you control have deathtouch., : Choose one - Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature; or Bow of Nylea deals 2 damage to target creature with flying; or you gain 3 life; or put up to four target cards from your graveyard on the bottom of your library in any order.

Bestow (If you cast this card for its bestow cost, it's an Aura spell with enchant creature. It becomes a creature again if it's not attached to a creature.)
Reach
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has reach.

Indestructible
As long as your devotion to green is less than five, Nylea isn't a creature. (Each in the mana costs of permanents you control counts toward your devotion to green.)
Other creatures you control have trample.: Target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn.

Enchant creature
Whenever enchanted creature attacks, put a +1/+1 counter on it. Then if it has three or more +1/+1 counters on it, sacrifice Ordeal of Nylea.
When you sacrifice Ordeal of Nylea, search your library for two basic land cards, put them onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle your library.

: Monstrosity X. (If this creature isn't monstrous, put X +1/+1 counters on it and it becomes monstrous.)
When Polukranos, World Eater becomes monstrous, it deals X damage divided as you choose among any number of target creatures your opponents control. Each of those creatures deals damage equal to its power to Polukranos.

When Reverent Hunter enters the battlefield, put a number of +1/+1 counters on it equal to your devotion to green. (Each in the mana costs of permanents you control counts toward your devotion to green.)

[+2]: Exile the top three cards of target opponent's library.
[-X]: Put a creature card with converted mana cost X exiled with Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver onto the battlefield under your control. That creature is a Nightmare in addition to its other types.
[-10]: Exile all cards from all opponents' hands and graveyards.

Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets Battlewise Hoplite, put a +1/+1 counter on Battlewise Hoplite, then scry 1. (To scry 1, look at the top card of your library, then you may put that card on the bottom of your library.)

Daxos of Meletis can't be blocked by creatures with power 3 or greater.
Whenever Daxos of Meletis deals combat damage to a player, exile the top card of that player's library. You gain life equal to that card's converted mana cost. Until end of turn, you may cast that card and you may spend mana as though it were many of any color to cast it.

Target opponent reveals his or her hand. You choose a nonland card from that player's graveyard or hand and exile it. You may cast that card for as long as it remains exiled, and you may spend mana as though it were mana of any color to cast that spell.

Whenever another creature dies, scry 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put that card on the bottom of your library.): Reaper of the Wilds gains deathtouch until end of turn.: Reaper of the Wilds gains hexproof until end of turn.

, : Put a fate counter on another target creature., : Exile target creature that has a fate counter on it, then return it to the battlefield under its owner's control., : Exile target creature that has a fate counter on it. Its controller draws two cards.

Underworld Cerberus can't be blocked except by three or more creatures.
Cards in graveyards can't be the targets of spells or abilities.
When Underworld Cerberus dies, exile it and each player returns all creature cards from his or her graveyard to his or her hand.

[+1]: Add X mana in any combination of and/or to your mana pool, where X is the number of creatures you control.
[0]: Put a 2/2 red and green Satyr creature token with haste onto the battlefield.
[-6]: Exile the top seven cards of your library. You may put any number of creature and/or land cards from among them onto the battlefield.

: Each player exiles the top card of his or her library face down., : Sacrifice Pyxis of Pandemonium: Each player turns face up all cards he or she owns exiled with Pyxis of Pandemonium, then puts all permanent cards among them onto the battlefield.

: Add to your mana pool., : Choose a color. Add to your mana pool an amount of mana of that color equal to your devotion to that color. (Your devotion to a color is the number of mana symbols of that color in the mana costs of permanents you control.)

Temple of Abandon enters the battlefield tapped.
When Temple of Abandon enters the battlefield, scry 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put that card on the bottom of your library.): Add or to your mana pool.

Temple of Deceit enters the battlefield tapped.
When Temple of Deceit enters the battlefield, scry 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put that card on the bottom of your library.): Add or to your mana pool.

Temple of Mystery enters the battlefield tapped.
When Temple of Mystery enters the battlefield, scry 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put that card on the bottom of your library.): Add or to your mana pool.

Temple of Silence enters the battlefield tapped.
When Temple of Silence enters the battlefield, scry 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put that card on the bottom of your library.): Add or to your mana pool.

Temple of Triumph enters the battlefield tapped.
When Temple of Triumph enters the battlefield, scry 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put that card on the bottom of your library.): Add or to your mana pool.

It’s not that the set is a major disappointment. On the contrary. It’s shaping up to be quite the flavor-packed lunchable we’d expect to see from the same team that brought us innistrad. There are, however, those of us excited to see thoughtseize return solely for values outside of flavor. The set isn’t even halfway spoiled. I’m sure it’ll be spectacular in both function and flavor.

ChubbiestLamb6

Yes, anything that can’t win the game entirely on its own sucks, I know. But don’t you worry, there will still be the 15-20 great, overpowered cards in standard that all the good players can use over and over.

Much like yourself, I have heavily play tested all of the monstrosity cards in what will be the standard environment once they come out (including the next two sets in the block), much more so than the designers did, and also recognize that players’ initial reactions to cards are pretty much never wrong and the people responsible for making the game really don’t have any idea what they’re doing, so I can completely write off monstrosity as an ability.

All sarcasm aside, though (and I hope I didn’t over-do it, I just get weary of hearing the same complaints every set), with so many cards rotating out, and with more being introduced not only in this set but over the coming months, you have no real basis for examining the power level of these cards. Everyone likes to think of themself as the greatest card analyst ever, but the fact is we don’t have enough information and always analyze value using a very narrow metric if what “good” is, i.e. is it a self sustaining immediate route to competitive victory. When the dust settles it always turns out nothing was nearly as bad as the nay sayers were decrying, and they are the very same ones piloting the latest Deck of the Week to feature all the most powerful cars from the set. Poluchranos does actually look pretty bad, but there can be a bad card or two. I remember people bashing both JTMS and the titans when they came out, but we all know how those turned out. Magic is way too complex with way too many interactions to be able to make accurate predictions do early, and any attempt to do so with certainty is no more than an exercise in self flattery.

As a final aside, please excuse any typos that cause confusion, as I’m using my phone and am prone to mistype when doing so, and also I apologize again if I come off as a bit vitriolic, this is just a problem that greatly annoys me.

CygsTheBant

You put all of my emotions towards the people complaining into one post… Thank you good sir for writing this.

ChubbiestLamb6

In all honesty I never intended to involve you at all. I was exclusively replying to Kevin’s post without even considering that it was already itself a reply to something you said, and I’m sorry if you took my post as such a direct assault on your personal character. The point of my post was simply that it is far less presumptuous for us all to withhold judgement until we can get some actual experience with the incredibly complex environment that the cards will be situated in.

ChubbiestLamb6

You are correct that I only responded to a relatively small portion of your post, but that is for good reason: it’s the part I have an issue with. Concerns over what is “flavorful enough” are purely up to personal preference, and as you made clear near the end of this post, you are holding your standards at least somewhat strictly to the source material, so if we differ in that regard, there isn’t much to be said about it.

However, value judgments about cards and mechanics as a whole falls into a much more quantifiable realm. But only once we can actually see how all of the variables will interact. Doing so before that happens, as I stated in my first post, is fairly presumptuous and very frequently proven to be misguided. WIth the m10 titans that I mentioned before, people were specifically complaining about the price, saying that 6 mana was too expensive to even warrant inclusion in a serious deck. But once people were able to get real examples of how they affect the board, and once people saw that, post-rotation, games were plenty slow enough, especially with the ramp that was available, to get your 6 drops out, everything changed.

Saying “most of the monstrous cards are like that” is a perfect illustration of that. How do you know what “most” is? There are already more cards with monstrosity revealed than when you formed your idea of it, and there will almost undoubtedly be more in the next two sets.

At any rate, I don’t intend to dig us into an endless argument. After all, by my own reasoning, I can’t say with any CERTAINTY that any of these cards or abilities will actually be good. I was simply voicing my frustration with a particular mentality that people seem to increasingly bring towards new sets, and if you feel that I unfairly or inaccurately lumped you into a group to which you don’t fully belong, I apologize.

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